December 2024
VetSalus Summary – New Zealand Animal Welfare Network Aotearoa (AWNA) meeting 9 October 2024
VetSalus Summary – New Zealand Animal Welfare Network Aotearoa (AWNA) meeting 9 October 2024
In early October VetSalus attended the New Zealand Animal Welfare Network Aotearoa (AWNA) meeting, with the theme of animal welfare and climate change.
AWNA is a forum for animal welfare scientists, veterinarians and industry organisations with a focus on animal welfare to meet on a 6 monthly basis to network and discuss aspects of animal welfare across a broad range of topics that impact on all animals in Aotearoa. AWNA has approximately 40 member organisations across all aspects of animal/human/environmental interaction.
During the meeting Mark Bryan gave an overview of VetSalus and in particular advised members of AWNA of the educational material that VetSalus has developed to upskill veterinarians on climate change impacts on animals.
A summary of the speakers and topics include:
Biophysical limits to growth and the future of food and energy – Mike Joy ecologist (Victoria University)
In the past 2 centuries there has been an 8 fold human population increase and a 100 fold expansion of gross world product, all propelled by a 1300 fold increase in fossil fuel energy consumption.
Currently the livestock sector uses 75% of agricultural land globally and at the same time uses 30% of global agricultural water resources.
Climate change/carbon myopia is rampant, what is missing is understanding that it isn’t a climate crisis, there is a meta crisis driven by over consumption leading to (i) soil erosion/degradation, (ii) ground water depletion/pollution, (iii) deforestation/land use change, (iv) biodiversity crash, (v) fisheries crash, (vi) fresh water eutrophication, (vii) ocean acidification, (viii) nuclear waste, (ix), phosphate depletion, (x) plastic and emerging contaminants pollution, (xi) total disruption of the nitrogen cycle.
Canterbury fresh water protection failure case study. 11,000 litres of water to make 1 litre of cows milk.
Real zero means eliminating fossil fuels entirely. Real zero is the only path that can reliably limit warming within the Paris Agreements guardrails.
A just world on a safe planet – an environmental “floor” of basic daily living standards to give all earth's inhabitants a safe and just “corridor” within earth's system boundaries.
The politically acceptable is ecologically disastrous while the ecologically necessary is politically impossible.
Quantifying expected changes in extreme rain, heat and drought in Aotearoa – Luke Harrington – Climate Scientist (Waikato University)
Key points
Over many parts of New Zealand the wettest and driest days of the year are intensifying
Cyclone Gabrielle rainfall was more intense due to climate change
We are starting to build story lines of the worst case futures in the context of agricultural drought based on NIWA projections
Looking at the past is very useful to understand what record shattering events look like
Heat extremes are changing rapidly in NZ though the link with humidity to produce heat stress is regionally variable and more complex.
Robust changes to the wettest and driest days of the year are hidden within annual rainfall projections – a NZ case study.
What we already know – observed changes in extreme heat from 0.5 degrees C of global warming. 4 factors of relevance (i) severity of daytime maximum temperature, (ii) how much the temperature drops overnight, (iii) humidity throughout the events, (iv) over how many days the extreme temperatures persist.
The key motivator for this work is to provide decision relevant information for stakeholders.
Climate scientists in NZ are challenged to overcome issues around climate model fidelity because we are a small topographically complex country with distinct microclimates.
Large ensemble regional climate modelling and building storylines on information from past extreme events is proving useful – however there is much more work to be done.
Catastrophic planning a climate change reality – Wayne Ricketts (MPI Animal Welfare Emergency Management Team)
Catastrophic planning is led by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
NEMA (i) hazard agnostic (ii) aims to improve the system of readiness and provide a framework for nationally coordinating the response to encourage emergency management partners to address readiness gaps.
4 defining features of a catastrophic event in New Zealand (i) emergency management system is overwhelmed or severely impacted by the event, (ii) priority needs of communities following an event cannot be met within the existing capability of NZ’s wider response and emergency management system, (iii) the response requires international support, (iv) recovery will require medium to long term outlook with substantial resource allocation, (v) mass casualties of people (and animals).
MPI priority – to draft a Catastrophic Animal Welfare Plan (i) estimate animal numbers impacted, (ii) concentrate on provision of animal welfare to animals dependent on humans to survive ie companion animals, zoo animals, intensively housed production animals, animals in research, teaching and testing, lactating cows and animals in transit.
Investigating the slick gene and its effects on heat stress in grazing cattle – Gemma Worth animal scientist (Livestock Improvement Corporation)
Heat stress impacts on (i) dry matter intake, (ii) daily milk production, (iii) calf birthweight and lactation performance, (iv) fertility.
The issues (i) genetically improved cows are not heat tolerant, (ii) heat tolerant cows are mostly not genetically improved for milk production.
Why develop heat tolerant dairy cattle (i) insurance against climate change, (ii) improve production in warmer environments, (iii) animal welfare impacts of heat stress.
Use of the Senepol breed – red poll cross developed in the Caribbean around 1910. Known for (i) coat type SLICK, (ii) tick resistance, (iii) heat tolerance.
The SLICK gene (i) dominant gene, (ii) short hair phenotype (approx 1cm shorter), (iii) lower rectal temperature (0.5C), (iv) increased productivity (4kg/d).
Summary
SLICK variant will significantly improve heat tolerance in hot climates
Breeding programme ongoing in NZ to increase the genetic merit of SLICK animals
Aim to integrate the gene into NZ dairy industry over time
How good animal wellbeing supports on farm efficiency and sustainability – Mike Shallcrass veterinarian (Fonterra)
The NZ government objectives for reducing emissions vs the more stringent and specific targets required by overseas markets ie Mars, Nestle, Unilever, Starbucks, Yum China etc. Fonterra's reduction pathway for 30% reduction of on farm emissions per tonne of fat and protein by 2030 from the 2018 baseline objective includes 7% from on farm action, 7% from new technology, 8% from carbon removal, 8% from historical land use change.
Focus on (i) animal efficiency i.e. nutrition, genetics, reproduction and animal health, (ii) nutrient optimisation i.e. nitrogen and effluent management, feed quality/type, (iii) other emissions i.e. imported CO2, feed, fuel and fertiliser.
Other initiatives (i) Fonterra efficiency farm visits, (ii) Extension material, (iii) Animal Wellbeing Plans, (iv) Non Replacement Calves, (v) Incentivising
Landuse Optimisation: Mitigation and animal welfare – Alison Dewes veterinarian, ecologist, farmer (Tipu Whenua)
Alison discussed the work of the Catchment group in the Bay of Plenty to address impacts of climate change on the farming in the area. Land use in the catchment is approximately 38% dairy, 5% kiwifruit, 18% exotic forest, 10% sheep and beef and 12% native forest.
The current environmental issues in the waterways include E coli levels being 430% above safe levels. Objective to reduce E coli levels by 55%, nitrogen load by 70%, phosphorus by 30% and significantly reduce sediment.
Estimated impact on climate change in the region by 2040 includes
Ambient temperature increase by 0.5 to 1.0 degree Celsius
Hot days above 25 degrees C from 32 per year to 52 per year by 2040
Extreme rainfall events greater than 240mm in 24 hours, 1.5 times more likely
Sea level rose by 0.28 metres.
The work includes identifying high risk pastoral land where land use change could be considered. Likely impact of climate change includes more heavy rain events, with poor drainage, inability to spread effluent, farming in water, retaining labour, mental health issues, and impact on livestock.
Livestock impacts include increased lameness, lower fertility, heat stress, facial eczema, new vectors, new diseases.
The budget to remediate the catchment is greater than $100 million.
It is likely under this scenario that 25 to 30% of dairy farms will exit. Consideration of the need to incentivise land use change or managed retreat.
An overview of Whenua Haumanu: Nurturing the land and animals through pastoral farming – Nick Sneddon scientist (Massey University)
What is Whenua Haumanu – (i) nurturing the land through exploring pastoral farming, (ii) funded by the Ministry for Primary Industries, (iii) New Zealand’s most comprehensive programme on the effects of contemporary and regenerative pastoral practices, (iv) a 7 year programme bringing together universities, CRI’s, and industry partners to scientifically assess the suitability and relevance of regenerative agriculture in NZ.
The programme includes comprehensive research measures below and above ground looking at standard and diverse pastures under contemporary and regenerative management.
Aspects of the programme include
Dairy cattle and sheep - health and welfare, reproduction and rumen microbiome
Dairy cattle and sheep production – liveweight, BCS, milk production, wool production, N cycling and GHG emissions
Pasture quality and health – seasonal quality, seasonal composition, root measurement, NIR, FITR, NVDI
Soil carbon, fertility, biology – microbial DNA, active microbiology, microarthropods, mesofauna, earthworms, visual soil assessment
Climate and environment – weather, soil moisture, nutrient leaching, nitrous oxide emissions
Pasture production – grazing residuals, rotation, mass, yield, growth rates, weeds, pests
Soil physical – bulk, density, penetrability, composition, aggregate stability, porosity, infiltration rates
Engagement and extension – farmers, industry, iwi, scientists, demonstration farms, publications, presentations.
Next meeting of AWNA due to be held late March/early April 2025 in Auckland with a theme related to animal welfare and use of technology.
VetSalus wish to extend their thanks to the members of the AWNA Committee for the invitation to join this insightful meeting.